I mean is there a division between shows like The Shadow and Dragnet? Both deal with solving a crime but one is more grounded in reality than the other for lack of a better way to describe them. What are the guidelines (if any) that separate shows into Detective programs and mysteries?

Yes that is an interesting one when you think of it. I would say Detectives work inside or with the Law ie dragnet, Hercule Poirot, etc though this might be sub-divided into 'The law' and 'private detective'.

I see The Shadow is described as a 'crime fighting vigilante' and that may point to the difference after all Superman fought crime but was never a detective, so Mikes 'Thriller' category is quite a good one; mind you Thriller does not seem quite right to me but cannot just think of a better one at the moment.

Remember often times Cranston/The Shadow is referred to by Commissioner Weston as an ametuer criminologist. A criminologist by nature of his occupation is cibsidered to be a dectetive although not in the nature of Nick Carter, Richard Diamond, Sam Spade, or George Valentine to name a few.

Now as to vigilanties I would put the Green Hornet inthat catagorey. Britt Reid as the Hornet more often than not takes 'liberties' with the law when the 'forces of law and order" are uinable by ordinary means able to entrap the criminal. Up until the transition episodes the Hornet was always 'still at large' according to the Daily sentinel.

It is interesting to note the step by step reinvention of the Hornet in theshows from October 24, 1947 through February 17, 1948 in wich in order four other people sharewith Kato Britt Reid's secret. They are Linda Travis (who was killed off in a laterepisode by Oliver Perry), Brutt's fatger Dan Reid (nephew of the lLone ranter) Commissioner Higgins (who was a long time friend of Dan Reid} and Reid's scretary Lenore Case. It is also interestingfthat both Travis and Case found out Britt's secret identity by accident Travis (when she was trapped in Reid's car the Black Beauty) and Case (who pulled a handgerchief with Reid's initials out of his pocket when he was rescuing her). Like the four part trilogy in 1948 which made the Hornet's identity know to Travis, Dan Reid, and Commissioner Higgins it took three shows to explain how Miss Case found out the hornet's identity and her revieling of her knowledge to Britt.

All in all b oth the Shadow and Green Hornet made use of the idea of a double identity to the fullest.

In a detective show, the listener/viewer doesn't know who the culprit is until the hero/detective solves the case. This may also be true in a crime drama or police procedural, but the story could also be told alternately from the culprit's point of view so that the listener/viewer can have appreciate the hero/detective's crime solving prowess in action.

It is interesting to note the step by step reinvention of the Hornet in theshows from October 24, 1947 through February 17, 1948 in wich in order four other people sharewith Kato Britt Reid's secret. They are Linda Travis (who was killed off in a laterepisode by Oliver Perry), Brutt's fatger Dan Reid (nephew of the lLone ranter) Commissioner Higgins (who was a long time friend of Dan Reid} and Reid's scretary Lenore Case._________________kickexam.comhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elancehttps://www.facebook.com/Elance

Ellery Queen is another excellent series both the half hour and the minute mystery series. One thing to note is the similarities between five minute mysteries an both Queen shows.Five Minute Mysteries was originally a thirty minute show featuring a mystery the an attempt by a group of people to solve the mystery ala the Queen series. It was shortened to a five minute show as a local station fill in.